The Silver Pool, Hermione's Look Into Her Future
by Rogue The Phantom
Summary: Reviewers wanted!Professor McGonagall gives Hermione a chance to go into the future. Hermione is torn between her love for Ron and Harry. Can she change her past to ensure a future she will want?
1. The Silver Pool

"Miss Granger, I would like a word with you please." Professor McGonagall stopped her after class. She had a large book on the table. Hermione's face went bright red and she brushed her bushy chocolate brown hair out of her face. Harry and Ron both looked at her surprised that she might be in trouble. Harry pushed his glasses further up towards his emerald eyes.

"Do you want us to wait Hermione?" Harry asked as he walked towards the door. Ron grabbed her book bag from her.

"No, you guys go to lunch. I'll be there in a bit." she smiled at them as she pushed her hair back behind her ears. Ron gave her back her book bag.

"Okay, but hurry, I need help with some of my homework." Ron smiled at her. He and Harry headed out the door. Hermione watched them for a little while reflecting on the past few years. She, Ron and Harry had just started their seventh year and things for them had become more difficult. Sirius was still lost behind some veil and Percy Weasley had died in their last encounter with Voldemort. Hermione still cringed at the thought of his death. Even though they never liked him, he was still Ron's brother. The whole family had been really upset through the summer holiday. Harry and Hermione did there best to cheer him up and it seemed to help, but they could tell that he was still hurt.

Hermione shook herself out of her thoughts and walked toward Professor McGonagall's desk. "Did you find it Professor?"

"Yes Miss Granger, but I want you to be careful with it. Defense spells like these are hard to form and hard to control, even for someone as skilled as yourself. I know that you want to keep your friends safe, but I just want you to be careful. Also, I found something else that you might be interested in. It's a potion, considered a defense." Professor McGonagall pushed the book towards her. Hermione looked at the front cover.

"What potion is it?" Hermione asked flipping through the pages.

"It's a potion to see your future. The future love that you may have. I thought that you might be interested in it. I am going to warn you though, be back before the next full moon. That's when the portal opens again. And don't be upset with what you see. You make your future." Professor McGonagall smiled at her. "Be careful Miss Granger."

"Thanks professor. I will." she beamed as she ran out of the room.

Harry and Ron sat alone at the table. Books were spread open in front of them, along with food. Hermione set her books down and took a seat next to Ron.

"What was that about?" Harry asked pulling his star chart closer to him. Hermione pulled a plate closer to her and started pouring food onto it. Ron nudged her in the side.

"You in trouble?" he grinned for the first time in weeks.

"No, Professor McGonagall gave me that book on defenses that we have been asking her about." she pushed the book towards them so that they could get a better look. Ron shoved his food and books aside and pulled her book towards him. "So this is going to help us when You-Know-Who comes after Harry." both Harry and Hermione went silent.

"Well, I guess it will. But I don't know if that is really what's going to happen. We just want to be prepared." Hermione looked down at her food. She and Harry had both stopped eating.

"Why are you guys so quite? We all know that is what is going to happen. There is no sense in trying to hide it anymore. So why bother?" Ron's eyes filled with anger. Voldemort had personally tried killed Percy the year before.

"Well, anyways this spell should be easy for us all to learn." Hermione lied. She didn't want to make things seem worse than what they were.

"Well, I am going to Hagrid's class, are you two coming?" Harry gathered up his books. The smile on his face faded and he seemed to loose his interest in everything.

Later that evening Hermione left the common room to take a bath, or so she said. She had a piece of paper that she had rolled up in her towel and a few things from potions class that she had stolen earlier that day. She made her way over to the girls bathroom. The room was large and there was a giant pool in the center. There were no pictures on the wall which were a soft violet shade. She unwrapped the piece of paper and began pouring in the ingredients. The water shudder then turned a violent red, then soft peach and with another violent shudder, it turned a shimmering silver. Ripples began to form from the center of the pool and outwards. _Well, here goes nothing,_ she thought and she plunged head first into the water. It was cold as ice and a small vortex began to form at the bottom. Quickly it pulled her through and she dropped.

'_Where am I?'_ She picked herself up off the ground and looked around. She was in a large open field with rolling green hills in the distance. The sky overhead was dark, but stars dotted the sky and glittered brighter than she had ever seen. To her left was Harry, and to her right was Ron. Harry was facing forward and Ron was facing Hermione. Both with their wands raised. Hermione ducked covering her arms over her head. Ron was ready to strike. Then she realized that they weren't moving. Both of them were paused in life it seemed. Hermione took another look around. Next to Ron was Lupin and then Sirius. Snape was on Harry's other side. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were behind Ron, Hermione and Harry. More people from the Order were on either side of them. The Earth around her seemed to be thrown into fast forward.

"Harry don't!" Lupin yelled over to him as Harry aimed his wand.

"You don't stand a chance! You fought me once and won, but this time I will kill you!" Voldemort pulled up his wand. Behind them Mrs. Weasley screamed. Hermione turned to see her slowly falling to the ground, Ginny behind her. Fred and George rushed forward to catch her.

"Mom, mom are you okay?" George whispered as he set her down. Fred went over to comfort Ginny who had now begun crying.

"Fine, fine. Arthur!" she yelled with tears rolling down her face. Hermione turned back around to face Voldemort. Ron still had his wand pointed at Harry, but Harry didn't notice. He was watching Voldemort.

"Harry what are you doing?" Hermione whispered in his ear, but he ignored her too. Suddenly she felt panic. She was in the middle of the battle, unprepared and unsure. Ron seemed that he had traded sides, people around her were shouting spells every which way and mass confusion had taken hold.

"Harry don't!" Sirius had yelled before taking a hit. Voldermort's followers seemed to be winning and their numbers seemed greater. Hermione took a step back.

"No, no more. This must end." Harry took a step forward. Voldemort laughed and cold shivers ran up Hermione's spine.

"You should run." Voldemort stopped laughing and glared at him. Worry seemed to cross his eyes.

"I will fight." he stood poised. Voldemort shouted a spell at the same time as Harry. Hermione screamed and all others fighting stopped. It had begun, the fight to end it all. A green beam shot out from Voldemorts wand and a navy blue beam from Harry. In the middle they merged to form a giant silver orb. The orb slowly started to float towards Harry. Hermione began to panic.

"Fool, weak fool. If you kill me we will both die, but I am strong. If I kill you I can still live!" his eyes gleamed with delight. He was going to kill Harry.

"Then I will win." Harry shivered, finally feeling panic. Hermione felt the tears coming to her eyes. All other movement stopped. Everyone watched and waited. The silver orb seemed to be coming closer and closer to Harry. He was beginning to panic. Ron finally spoke.

"Unpenetralis!" Ron yelled at the top of his lungs. A brilliant gold light flew from Ron's wand and formed a ball around Harry.

"Ron you can't do that by yourself! It takes too much power!" Hermione recognized it immediately. It was the spell that she had asked Professor McGonagall for earlier. She sunk to the ground on her knees. Ron was going to die, and she knew it. That spell was to much for any one of them alone.

"Hermione I have to." he smiled at her and the tears that were forming spilled out over her face. The silver orb began to move towards Voldemort.

"Ronald! Someone has to help him!" Mrs. Weasley sputtered amongst her sobs, but everyone was glued to their places. It was inevitable. Ron was going to die. Harry slowly dropped to his knees. All of his energy was being sucked from his body, but with every surge that he sent through, the orb grew bigger. Voldemort's eyes grew wide as he watched.

"Help me! One of you help me!" He whispered to his followers, but none of them made a move. They all sat and watched. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. Hermione looked around. Sirius was sitting up, screaming at Harry. Mrs. Weasley was trying to move, trying to help, but Mr. Weasley held her down. Ginny was sobbing in Fred's shoulder. George was trying to get to Ron, but Lupin held him back. One thought passed through Hermione's mind, something that Dumbledore had said. There will be losses for both sides. Everyone knew there would be. More tears rolled down her face.

The orb got closer to Voldemort. Harry began to get pale from so much effort. Ron was still standing strong, but the spell was taking its toll on him. Soon Voldemort knew that it was all over. His eyes began tearing up, knowing that he was in defeat and that this would be his end. In one smooth motion he moved his wand from the line and the orb hit him.

"You will die Harry Potter. Because of my death, you will die." and he laughed, but his laugh was not cold, but full of sorrow.

"No he won't." Hermione screamed running up to Harry as he fell to the ground. He was still awake, still alive. "Because of Ron's spell he will live. Nothing you do is going to kill him!" she was sobbing.


	2. The End and Begining

"You will die Harry Potter. Because of my death, you will die." and he laughed, but his laugh was not cold, but full of pain.

"No he won't." Hermione screamed running up to Harry as he fell to the ground. He was still awake, still alive. "Because of Ron's spell he will live. Nothing you do is going to kill him!" she was sobbing. The orb surrounded Voldemort. He screamed out in pain allowing the orb to pulse and wrap tighter around his body. Hermione moved Harry's head onto her lap and covered him over with her body. The orb retracted into Voldemort's body causing him to take on a silver lining. He fell to his knees screaming out in pain. Everyone ran looking for somewhere to hide themselves from whatever was going to happen.

"Hermione run!" Harry managed to gasp out to her. She looked down at him with tears streaming down her face. She shook her head and took a better hold on him.

"NO!" Voldemort yelled throwing his arms towards the sky. Silver beams began to shoot out from his fingers then his arms. The ground around him began to pulse as more beams began to shoot out of his body.

"Hermione move him!" Lupin yelled running up to help her. They grabbed Harry by the arms and began to drag him away. Sirius ran over to the heap that was Ron and pulled him out of the way. The stars in the sky shone brighter than Hermione had ever seen.

"This is not the end!" Voldemort yelled trying to stand up. Suddenly the pulsing strengthened. The beams formed one giant ball of silver light that slowly began to pull in and grow smaller. Everyone gasped at what was happening. Slowly the orb got smaller until it disappeared. Everything went silent. People began crawling out from their hiding places. There was a bright yellow light from the sun shining down on the spot where Voldemort had once been. White figures began to take shape out of the sun. In the spot were both Lily and James Potter. They smiled brightly as they came forward to see Harry.

"So you did such a great job! We are so proud." James voice was a whisper, floating on the wind in the pending silence.

"We couldn't have asked for better." Lily reached down and hugged Harry, her arms passing through him. A wave of cold flooded through his body, but he felt warm in the love of his mother. Slowly their spirits began to float upward towards the sunlight. Their white frames glinted as the slowly made their ascent upwards. Then a harsh, dark voice laughed high across the land.

"I will get you Harry Potter!" Voldemort's voice echoed through the hills. There was one more surge and then a blast of silver light from the depths of no where. A crater formed in the area that Voldemort was and everyone who had came out of hiding was blown backwards as the ring of silver light flew through the surrounding area. It pulsed through everyone and everything. Hermione was thrown back off of Harry. Pain shot through her body. She tried to get up to protect Harry, but couldn't.

"Ronald! Oh Ronald!" Hermione heard Mrs. Weasley shout somewhere in the distance, but she didn't open her eyes to look around. People moaned as they tried to pick themselves up and find their other companions. Clouds began to gather in the sky overhead as the sun began to crest over the hills. Light flooded between the gaps in the clouds and looked like the gates of heaven had opened up around them. Suddenly Hermione opened her eyes. Harry lay on top of her, covering her from the blow. Dirt and pieces of grass covered his back and he lay still on her lap. He was still breathing and a pluse ran through his veins.

"Harry, Harry please don't die!" Hermione whispered into his ear, her eyes sparkling with more tears. Soon people from the Order began gathering themselves around Harry and Hermione. Some were limping and some were carrying others. Sirius stood in front of Hermione and Harry, Ron in his arms. His body limp and pale. "No." she breathed the words seemed to float past everyone and tears filled the eyes of most. Mrs. Weasley cried harder and Fred turned Ginny away.

"There will be sacrifices and deaths." the words of Dumbledore seemed to fill the valley. "Some may not live to see the great things that they have achieved by this small act." Hermione looked again to Ron. Dirt smudge his face and body. Parts of his clothes had been torn and parts were bleeding. As she looked at him she thought about the first time that she had met him on the Hogwarts express. He was trying to cast a spell on Scabbers to turn him yellow. She had told him that there was dirt smudged on his nose.

"He's moving. Sirius hes moving!" Lupin pointed to the limp body in his arms. Ron moved his fingers back and forth, then stopped. "He's still alive."

"But not for long. We need to get Ron and Harry to the hospital, quick!" Sirius smiled looking down at Harry and Ron. It seemed that both of them were going to live.

"Where is it?" Mr. Weasley was running around frantically searching for something. "I told them not to place it here, it was to dangerous."

"Arthur what are you looking for?" Mrs. Weasley smiled at him, the thought of her son being alive was keeping her from crying. She tried to stand up, but was unable and fell to the ground again. George tried to keep her there.

"Remus, come help me look for the portkey!" Mr. Weasley yelled over his shoulder to him. Lupin walked to the otherside of the creater and began looking around.

"That's right. Dumbledore had us set up a portkey that led to the hospital. He knew what was going to happen, or what he thought was going to happen." Lupin explained to the others.

"How did he reach you all to let you know this from Azkaban?" Mrs. Weasley asked. George was still trying to keep her on the ground.

"For some reason they don't effect him. He is perfectly sane. He had his way of communicating with us. He is a brilliant man. Ah, here it is." Mr. Weasley stood next to a giant tree that had been knocked down in the blow. "Molbarius!" and with a wave of his wand the tree began to float towards the crowd. "Hurry! We don't have much time!" Eveyone put their hands on the trees, Hermione put on Harry's with her own, and Sirius put on Ron's and with a gut renching learch, they were gone.


	3. Harry's Big Question

The next few days faded away slowly. News paper articles had been filled with what had happened. They told the story of how young, brave Harry Potter stood up alone to face He Who Must Not Be Named. It told of how the Order of the Pheonix stood up to fight against the Death eaters. Reeta Skeeters article had been the best. Lupin had told Hermione about how she had let her out upon the decision to have the final battle, knowing that she would hide and be able to tell the whole story. It read like this:

_**The Wizarding World Lives Again!**_

_by Reeta Skeeter_

_The wizarding world is safe once more thanks to_

_the young and brilliant Harry Potter. He stood_

_against the horrors of the Death Eaters with the_

_beautiful Hermione Granger by his side. _

_For those of_

_you who don't know the story, let me tell you. _

_The ministry of magic had become enraged with _

_Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. They sent him to _

_Azkaban, on the charges of blasphamy and wanting to _

_become Minister of Magic himself. Cornelius Fudge stated _

_"I will not give the chair to some crazy, skatter-brained school_

_teacher, who thinks that he knows better than me!"_

_Upon Headmaster Dumbledore's return he had this to say:_

_"The wizarding world is safe now and that is all the matters._

_My short time in Azkaban was nothing but a pin prick, but_

_to know that the world is safe brings so much joy that the _

_dementors couldn't bring me down in the least."_

_As the story continues, the young_

_Harry Potter bravley faught while members from the Order of_

_the Phoenix battled the Death Eaters in an on-going stuggle. _

_Soon the battle came downt to Harry and Him. Harry single handedly_

_stood death in the face and with the brilliant Miss Granger at his side._

_"I always knew that they would end up together." Sirius Black claimed_

_after their visit to the hospital where Miss Granger sits at his bedside _

_night and day. Black, who has now been cleared and will no longer be sent _

_to live at Azkaban. The body of Peter Pettigrew was found after the fight_

_running away from the battle. "Such a frightened little boy, never was going to_

_amount to much." Professor Menerva McGonagall stated, helping Dumbledore_

_after his release. Skeptics now try to find the remainig bits of He-Who-Must-Not-_

_Be-Named, but are unable to find anything. He was blown to bits, leaving a _

_creater, much like the one a few years earlier. So the good people of the _

_wizarding world have no more to fear, and thats a load off _

_of everyone's shoulders._

Mrs. Weasley cried for days after reading this article. Ron was never mentioned in it and no one in the order had ever seen anything so brave. That was the day that Harry woke up. He rubbed the scar on his head with the intent to rub it off.

"Harry stop! Your forehead is all red!" Hermione smiled brushing the tears from her eyes. She turned her head back over to look at Harry. The last few days she had spent watching Ron from a far. He had had few visitors, save his family, Sirius and Lupin. No one seemed to care that he lay there, and may never wake up.

"It hurts." Harry grumbled sitting up, just to fall back over. "I feel so weak."

"You are weak. Harry, don't try to move like that." Sirius wiped the tears from his eyes as he sat down next to Harry's bedside.

"Sirius what are you doing?" Harry roared as he tried to shove a blanket over Sirius's head. "People are going to see you!"

"I've been cleared of all charges." he laughed trying to calm Harry down. "You can come live with me now!" he smiled. Hermione egded her way over to Ron. He lay so still, so quiet. Hermione let tears flow as she walked over. Ron was dying as much as none of them wanted to admit it. His freckled face was pale, making his ginger hair bright.

"How is he?" she whispered over to Mrs. Wealey, who sat in tears.

"You! I never want you to come near Ronald again! None of you! You let that article come out without so much as a word and you have never come to see him! Some friends you are! Don't ever bother seeing him again!" she roared causing everyone to turn at look at them. Hermione got up, her face scarlet tears streaming down it, and headed back towards Harry and Sirius.

"Is it true that you stayed with me?" Harry smiled, ignoring the words of Mrs. Weasley.

"Yes, I couldn't very well have left you in that condition." Hermione smiled weakly.

"Hermione, I never knew you cared so much for me." Harry said sitting back up. Hermione made an effort to push him back down, but it was useless. "And this article says that you stood by my side the whole time, Hermione I couldn't ask for a better friend!" he waved Reeta's article in the air.

"Yes but did you happen to notice that..." she began but Harry just pressed on.

"Hermione I love you! I always have! Will you be my girlfriend?" he smiled and shook his head. Hermione's jaw dropped and Sirius laughed. "Please?


	4. His Story

Hermione sat back in her chair unable to speak. Scarlet dots began to creep across her face. Sirius stopped laughing and took a good long look at her. Mrs. Weasley was watching from across the way and Lupin had just walked over to take a good look at Harry. All eyes were on her and she sat silent for what seemed like an eternity.

"You do like him, don't you Hermione?" Sirius finally spoke. Everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breath waiting for the answer. Hermione looked over at Harry. He was sitting on the edge of his bed staring at her with this huge grin on his face. Flowers cascaded off of every availible desk, chair and window sill around him. The sun seemed to streak across his dark hair and illuminated his green eyes. He looked so eager, and yet for the first time since she had met him, he looked afraid.

"Hermione? Hello?" Harry waved his hands in front of her face. She shook back into reality.

"Umm, yes Harry. I will be your girlfriend." she smiled at him. He jumped up out of his bed and wrapped his arms around her neck. Something in the window caught her eye, and as she watched she could make it out more clearly. Ron was lifting his head. He was pulling up his body trying to sit up. Mrs. Weasley sat with her hand over her mouth, tears streaming down her face. "Harry look!" Hermione pointed into the window at Ron.

"Yes Hermione I know it's really nice and sunny out. A really great day, good day to be alive." Harry smiled as he looked at the clouds floating by.

"No, Harry look." the smile faded from Sirius face as he pushed Harry's head around to face Ron. Harry's eyes grew wide in shock.

"Ron..." he whispered, tears welling up in his eyes. Hermione was sobbing and Lupin put his arm around her to comfort her. "What happened?"

"Oh Harry!"Hermione began to cry even harder at the thought of trying to explain what happened.

"Well, why are we standing around here! We should be over by his side!" Harry started to get out of bed when Ron groaned. The effort to get up was too much for his body and he fell back with a thud. "What happened?"

"That is the question isn't it Harry!" someone from the back of the room asked. Flashes of light began to go off and within seconds Harry's bed was surrounded. There were reporters all around him, including Reeta Skeeter. Camera flashes were going off right and left. "Well Harry? What happened?" they all seemed to scrunch in closer. Harry wipped the tears from his eyes and looked confused for a brief moment then regained composure.

"Tell us about you and Miss Granger getting together." Reeta slipped in from somewhere in the back. Hermione scowled at her. She had been trying to escape over to Ron but was stopped by the words. Everyone turned to face her.

"Yes Miss Granger, you were there, tell us what happened." everyone surrounded her. Mrs. Weasley began to wail louder now and though Hermione couldn't see what was going on, she knew what was happening.

"It started like this." Sirius smiled brightly for the people around him pushing Hermione from to the outside. "We knew that Voldemort was stronger, we knew that he was going to attack, but without Dumbledore it was going to be impossible." he began to explain but they weren't paying attention to him anymore.

"Miss Granger tell us what happened!" another reporter shouted towards her. Someone pushed her back and over to Harry's bed. She was so confused and people started to become a blurr.

"Well, I don't..." she began but then Harry spoke.

"She waited by my bedside night and day!" Harry smiled at the camera as people took more pictures. He pulled Hermione close to him and hugged her for the camera. "She held my hand all the way through!" people began to crowd in so close they were squishing Hermione.

"I think it best that you all leave them alone! They have been through a great ordeal and Harry just came to. He needs his rest." Lupin was yelling over the insane babble trying to push people out of the way. No one was listening. "Who let these people in?"

"RON NO!" Mrs. Weasley yelled over the crowd. Hermione felt as if she was moving in slow motion. All sounds seemed to fade away into the sobbs coming from Mrs. Weasley. The crowd parted slightly and Hermione slipped away from Harry. As soon as she saw Ron, she stopped. He lay lifeless in the bed, his arm slumped over the side. Mrs. Weasley lay crying over the top of him, with Mr. Weasley by her side, patting her shoulder as if that was going to make everything okay. The monitors by his bedside stopped beeping. His face was pale and his eyes rolled back. The wand that was laying on the table beside his bed rolled off and snapped in half as it hit the ground.

"No." Hermione whispered as she began to walk forwards, but someone grabbed her hand. She turned to look and see who it was flashes once again going off in her face. Harry smiled, surrounded by the mob. He tried to pull his hair flat and had put his glasses back on. With one gentle tug he pulled Hermione into a big hug.

"Please don't leave me." he pleaded into her ear. Hermione looked back over to Ron and then to Harry.

"What about Ron? He's dead!" Harry wipped away the tears from her eyes. He looked over to Ron for the first time, a frown crossing his face.

"Then we shall tell the story of how Ron saved my life. The world will know what bravery it took and what he did. Please, they need us to tell the story." he waved his hand at the crowd. Hermione nodded and walked with Harry back to the center of the crowd.

"Harry how did it happen?" someone asked from the back.

"It went like this," Harry started, "I decided..."


	5. Harry's Lie

"I decided to risk my life!" Harry started to tell the story. Hermione sat and watched as Mrs. Weasley held onto Ron's limp body. Lupin had made his way over to the bed where he watched Mr. Weasley pry Mrs. Weasley arms away.

"No!" she wailed over and over again. "You can't take him! Fix him! You're a hospital, do something!" she yelled to the nurses as they tried to wrap up the body and remove it. Hermione looked on hopelessly as Harry started to tell the story.

"Voldemort stood in front of me with his band of followers lined on either sides. He raised his wand in an effort to scare me off, but I don't scare that easily." the reporters laughed at the comment. " 'You will not survive this!' he says, but I am not scared. I knew what had to be done. 'You fought me once and won, but this time I will see that you don't!' he yelled across the field. I laughed at him. 'You will never beat me Voldemort!' I yelled back at him, my followers laughing with me."

"Harry what are you…" Hermione started to say, but the large crowd cut her off. 'What is he saying?' she thought to herself. She looked at Sirius and then over to Lupin. They were both listening, and frowning. Lupin shook his head in what looked like disbelief. "That's not what happened!" Hermione spoke over the crowd.

"Now, now Miss Granger, no need to be jealous. You will get your turn to answer questions." Reeta smiled at her, then backed up a little.

"Yeah Hermione, relax." Harry smiled at her taking her hand. She looked at him in disgust. "So anyways, Ron pointed his wand at me, and for a second fear did grip me. I thought that my best friend had turned on me." Harry winked at Hermione.

"Oh how awful!" someone in the crowd gasped.

"Spells were being cast to me right and left from the followers on both sides. The end seemed to be drawing nearer and I knew what I had to do. I had to risk my life to save everyone else. 'Harry don't! Sirius yelled to me, but I had already decided what I was going to do. 'No' I said. 'This should end.' but Voldemort wasn't going to run away with such bravery. 'You should run.' he told me but I didn't. 'I should fight!' I snarled back at him." Harry beamed as the quills began to scratch against more paper.

'You should run.' the words echoed through Hermione's head. She wanted to run, be as far away from this situation as she could. Harry was telling the story all wrong and he didn't even seem to care. He seemed like he was so great, when so many great lives were lost in that battle. And not only had he not even mentioned the great things that Ron had done, but he made him out to look like the bad guy. Sirius stood up and waved as the cameras around him took a few more shots, the smile faded from his face. He walked over to Lupin and they left, following after Mr. And Mrs. Weasley. "Harry you know that Sirius and Lupin left? They followed Mr. And Mrs. Weasley, which is where you should be!" she started to get up, but Harry pulled her over to him."

"Hermione stood by my side the whole entire time!" he winked at her again and then started in on the story. "Voldemort was going to kill me, but I stood my ground. Ron shouted an incantation that covered me and gave me strength." Hermione had started to leave, but stopped when Ron's name came up. She looked up at Harry, who was now on the edge of his bed, his eyes wide and words spilling from his lips. Tears began to shine from his eyes, but he blinked them back. "Then I cast one final spell, at the same time that he did. They collided creating this beautiful silver orb in the center. I fought with all of my might, my girl right beside me." Hermione let the tears flood from her eyes. She couldn't contain it anymore. Harry had somewhat followed through on his promise. For the first time since the reporters had been there, Hermione found Harry very handsome. He glowed as he told the story, and even though most of it was wrong, the crowd still seemed to love him. "And that's all that I remember." he finished, the grin on his face a mile wide.

"Miss Granger, you were there, tell us the rest of what happened!" the reporters began to plead with her.

"Well, not a whole lot. I mean, not much that I can remember. It all happened so fast." she said trying to edge towards the door.

"Oh come on Hermione, remember, the people need to know what happened." Harry pleaded with her. She looked back to the door, and then to Harry.

"Alright." she whispered. "With all the energy drained from him, Harry fell to the ground, Voldemort shouting that Harry would die with his own death, but that wasn't true. Ron's spell had given Harry the energy to live, although he was knocked out. The orb seemed to become one with Voldemort and it began to pulse. He screamed out in pain, but it was no good." she started, but then she looked down at the ground. 'What am I doing?' she thought to her self, everyone around her holding their breaths with anticipation. 'I should be with Ron and his family!' she looked back up wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Harry wiped a tear from her eye, the worry in his voice becoming strong.

"No." she whispered, feeling bad for being defiant and ignoring Harry's plea. "No, I'm not okay. I should be out there," she pointed at the door, "with Ron's family! He died trying to save you and you are acting like nothing happened!" she had started with the intent of getting out, but now that the words were flowing, she couldn't help it. "And you didn't even notice that Sirius had left with a look of disgust on his face. He took a blow trying to stop you and you didn't even remember!" the crowd parted as she started to head towards the door. Gasps were sounding from the gathered crowd.

"How can you talk that way about Harry Potter!" one of the girls that had worked her way in yelled at her. "How can you say such things when he just saved our lives from the most horrible thing that could have happened!"

"Yeah, that's right." some of the reporters began, moving closer to her again. She was so close to the door that she could feel the cool air from the open hallway.

"But that's really what…" she started to say, but she was cut off by more babble from the crowd. Tension began to build as the crowd gathered closer to her.

"Wait!" Harry yelled over the voices. Hermione was cowered back into a ball, waiting for the onslaught. "Stop. She's right." he smiled at her, moving off of the bed. The crowd began to whisper. "Ron did die trying to help me, and I should be there." he came over and took her hand.

"What are you doing?" she whispered to him, confused by the sudden reality shock he seemed to have taken.

"Cleaning up your mess." he smiled as the crowd shot more pictures. "And I did forget to tell you that Sirius took a blow while trying to get me to stop. I guess I was so wrapped up in what happened that I forgot the little details." he let out a little laugh, the crowd following in suit. "Hermione and I have to leave now, but I'm sure you'll all be able to find us." he tipped his head to the crowd and then pushed Hermione through the door. She stopped crying and looked over at him.

"What do you mean cleaning up my mess? I didn't make any mess. I told the truth!" she looked at him in total disbelief. 'How could he say such a thing?' she thought to herself.

"Yes you did. Poor girl. Apparently you don't know how the press works!" he scowled at her and then stopped in his tracks.

"What, Harry, you did tell the story all wrong. Harry?" a look of horror had spread across his face and he pointed further down the hallway. Mrs. Weasley lay on the ground, completely out. Her eyes were closed to the world and her chest fell slightly with each breath.

"What happened?" Harry said running over to Sirius and Lupin.

"The pain was a bit too much for her and she fainted. That and all the punishment that her body took while fighting Voldemort caused a lot of pain to her I'm sure." Lupin was holding her wrist, feeling for a pulse.

"She'll be fine." Sirius smiled at them, grabbing Harry by the shoulder and pulling Hermione into a hug. Harry began to cry.

"No!" he gasped. "This isn't supposed to happen. No one was supposed to die!" tears flooded down his cheeks.

"That's what happens in war Harry. People die, and people live. You can't hold yourself accountable for all of the outcome. You did what you had to do. They did what they had to do. It's life." Sirius smiled through his own tears as he drew Harry into a hug.

"She will be alright, right?" Hermione pushed Sirius's arms from around her and walked over to Lupin.

"You want the truth?" Lupin asked and she nodded. "I really don't know."


	6. Sirius Lays Blame

At the sound of Harry's voice, Mrs. Weasley awoke with a start. Tears began to roll down her checks and she let out a soft sob. Lupin released her hand and it fell with a thud beside her. Mr. Weasley pulled her into a hug and whispered things into her ear. Slowly she began to calm down. "Arthur, what have we let happen? We knew not to let the kids in on this!" she whimpered. Mr. Weasley let tears fall silently down his cheeks for a while before answering.

"Molly, if they hadn't have been there, who knows what would have happened." He looked down at her, dismayed at his own words.

"You made a decision that could have affected the rest of the world." Dumbledor smiled as he walked down the hall. His eyes sparkled, but there was a fear in them. The air about him seemed dark and for a while he looked old, not the youthful man of the years before.

"Oh Dumbledor! How could we have let our children do this?" Mrs. Weasley whimpered from the ground. Lupin was trying to pull her up off the floor.

"Molly come on, let's go away from here. There are too many ears around." He nodded at the group of reporters making there way to them.

"Back to Grimulaude place." Dumbledor nodded. "We have much to discuss." He said looking at Harry, the smile from his face, gone. Slowly the group made their way down the hallway. They checked out at the front desk where they were told that they could set up the funeral in the little chapel there if they like. Mrs. Weasley cried a bit more, but not to the extent she had been. Fred and George had Ginny out in a car waiting for them. The Ministry had paid for it and for that the Weasley's were grateful. Ginny sat out in the car sobbing.

"Mom, is it true? Fred and George say that… they say that…" Ginny started but she wasn't able to finish.

"Wipe your tears dear." Mrs. Weasely smiled at her daughter, catching one of the tears before it reached the end of her face. "Ron wouldn't have wanted us to cry over him." She reached for her husbands hand and looked at all the faces around her. "And he would have wanted all of his closes friends near by." She smiled at Harry and Hermione.

"Alright let's get a move on." Sirius pointed at the car. His tone was gruff and mildly upset. Everyone squeezed into the cars and soon was at the Black home.

"Dumbledor, what happened with the silver orb?" Hermione asked as they walked into the small kitchen. Now that she had re told the story, there were a few things that were bothering her.

"It's the same concept as what had happened when Harry fought Voldemort the last time. You remember Harry. When Cedric's spirit came from his wand." Dumbledor stated simply. Harry looked at the ground remembering that year.

"What happened then?" George asked looking around. It had been days since the two of them had pulled a joke, and there was talk of them closing their joke shop.

"Well, Ron had given Harry a little something extra that Voldemort wasn't expecting. I'm surprised that he actually knew that spell. Not many people use it, not many know it. It's very high level magic. He created somewhat of a shield around Harry and that caused Harry to be stronger than Voldemort. The collision of their spells was too much for Voldemort to handle and he lost his grip. The spell moved up to him. Both he and Harry had cast the same spell, and since Ron had protected Harry, part of his spell went with him and because the spell encased Harry, it encased Voldemort too, only he had death spells mixed in. The orb took his form and slowly killed him. There was no chance of his surviving. Voldemort is dead." Dumbledor finished. Mrs. Weasley shuddered after the end. She had gotten up and was fixing food, giving herself busy work. She sat plates of cookies and such on the table in front of them.

"How come Sirius and Lupin and Mrs. Weasley survived all the blows that they took?" Hermione asked her eyes huge and full of wonder.

"I'm not sure. Only strong witches and wizards could take those blows. Perhaps those around us are stronger than they look." He took and cookie and made a glass of milk appear before him.

"So what happens now?" Mrs. Weasley asked, turning around and looking at the sullen table.

"I don't know. No one knows." Dumbledor looked up from his glass. "It's hard to tell at this point."

"It's going to be weird you know." Sirius whispered. He looked at Harry then at his sandwich that Mrs. Weasley had just laid before him. Everyone looked at him.

"What? What's going to be weird?" Harry asked, finally looking up from the ground.

"We have nothing to fear now. Well except exposure to the muggles and such. And you will be better known than ever. It'll go to your head." Sirius looked at Harry with a small scowl.

"It already has." Ginny whispered.

"Well there's nothing we can do about it now, or prevent it." Lupin cut in trying to stop the argument before it started.

"What do you mean it already has?" Harry looked up at her defiantly. "I've done nothing wrong!"

"What are you talking about Harry? We all heard what you said." Mrs. Weasley raged.

"I told the story the way that it happened." Harry jumped out of his chair and pointed at the lot. "You were just going to let the story die!"

"It should have died!" Sirius broke in. His voice was harsh and commanding. "It was something that should have never happened and we have lost so many lives due to it. How many of those deaths did you put in your story? Hmm?"

"Well I…" Harry began, but then fell silent.

"Did you even mention that Sirius took a blow for you, trying to protect you? Did you mention that I took several hits trying to save you? Did you mention Dumbledor's brilliant plan to trap him? You even made your best friend look like he was the enemy turning his wand on you. You didn't even tell him that you would have died if it wasn't for Ron and now he is going to go down in history as the boy who pointed his wand the wrong direction!" Mrs. Weasley shouted at him. Her face had become red and hot.

"Well, I mentioned some of those things." Harry tried in defense of himself.

"Harry it doesn't matter now, what's done is done. No all we have to do is try to fix it." Lupin smiled at him.

"It does matter! Our reputations and our parts in this battle are going to be forgotten because the boy who lived should have died!" Mrs. Weasley finished clapping her hands over her mouth. "Oh Harry, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." Harry looked at the table, a tear rolling down his face.

"Molly that was quite uncalled for." Lupin walked over and put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry you did what you thought was right at the time. In due time we will fix it. Don't cry. She didn't mean it."

"Why do we have to fix it?" Harry whispered. Everyone looked at him, their faces stunned.

"What did you say?" Sirius asked not sure if her heard him correctly.

"Why do we have to fix it? After that entire story is what happened, right Hermione?" Harry smiled at her. Everyone at the table looked at her. Her eyes grew large. 'How could he do that to me?' she thought to herself. Now she had to choose, her boyfriend or her friends.

"Why are you asking her, she's going to side with him. That's her boyfriend." George pounded a fist on the table. "Poor Ron. He liked you so much Hermione."

"Leave her alone. I'm right aren't I?" Harry glared at George.

"I… I… I don't know!" she whispered running up the stairs and slamming the door.


	7. Life and Death

"In life you are given the option to live or die." His voice echoed softly through the empty room. On a table in the middle of the room lay the body of Ron. Pale white skin covered his frail lifeless body, and his red hair seemed as if on fire.

"Some people take that option and risk their own for the good of their world." A hand shot out of the darkness and over the body. Wand at the ready he took aim.

"Some will not survive with the choice that another has made, no matter how good the intentions are." The hand angled the wand directly over the heart and made a circle. A gold beam of light shot from the tip of the wand and warmth filled the empty room.

"At the end of life your points are counted. Sometimes if you have a high enough score, it isn't the end. You are granted an extra life, a second chance to help those that need you most of all." Ron's body began to glow a pale yellow, life returning to his skin. His chest slowly began to rise and fall.

"You are granted a second chance with life. Only strong magic can make that happen. You have been chosen to fulfill your life. So many others want this gift. Do not lose it, do not waste it." A face moved to Ron's ear and whispered into is. Dumbledor's white beard bounced joyfully as he spoke.

"Your friends require your help. Aid them in this time of need. Remember what you have seen, take what you have learned. Help others to do what you have done." Dumbledor moved away from his ear and chuckled a little. "Hermione seems to have taken a real shine to you. Don't let her make a mistake." He took his wand away and looked at his work. With another wave Ron was clothed.

"Most of all, live life to the fullest, live like every day you were going to die." And with a poof he was gone. Ron's eyes burst open and tears began to flood from them. He screamed, a long sorrowful cry for help, and then he laughed. His voice rang off the walls and ceiling out in the lobby of the hospital.

"I'm alive!" he laughed again. "I'm alive!" he grabbed at his chest and his arms. "It can't be. I must be dreaming." He pinched himself. "Whoa…"

* * *

"Hermione please come down here." Mrs. Weasley yelled up the stairs. After the fight that they had had, Hermione ran up to her room and wouldn't open the door to come out. Sobs could be heard from the room and while they all had thought of opening the lock themselves, none of them had the heart to do it, yet.

"I say that we just unlock the door and go in!" Harry was leaning up against the wall in the small hallway outside of Hermione's room. Everyone was crowded there and was waiting for her to emerge. Sirius was standing next to Harry, holding Harry's wand captive.

"We can't just barge in on her like that!" Lupin told him. He was calm and showed almost no emotion towards the situation.

"Well we can't just leave her in there!" Harry stomped his foot on the floor. He was having a difficult time with not getting his way. All of the sudden there was a scream downstairs. Mrs. Black had come to life.

"What the…?" Mrs. Weasley started down the stairs and then stopped. She gasped as Hermione threw open the door and looked down the stairs. Mrs. Weasley pointed and began to shake. Everyone looked towards her pointed finger.

"No, it can't be!" Lupin smiled looking down the stairs. "That's no ghost. He has color. Fiery red hair, it's him!" he laughed as Mrs. Weasley began to weep.

"But you, but you were dead!" Harry looked stunned and took a few steps back. "Ron you're alive!"

"Brilliant Harry, bloody brilliant!" Ron laughed starting up the steps. Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes and ran forward jumping onto Ron and wrapping him in a huge hug.

"Ron, oh Ron! You are so warm!" she smiled and then squeezed him once more.

"Hermione cut it out." He smiled as he said it, but pushed her off. "Yes, I'm alive. I couldn't believe it either, but here I am." The grin on his face spread even wider as he gave his parents hugs.

"But how?" Sirius asked, just as stunned as Harry. His frown grew into a smile. "Welcome back Ron."

"I don't know how it happened. I was floating, gently floating in a white light. It was so pure, and so comforting, and I had no desire to return to the real world. Then I heard words, words that made me come back, head away from the light and comfort and back into the darkness of the world." Ron took a step back from everyone and looked up at the ceiling. "It was cold, like I knew the world had ended but it was comforting, and soon the feelings were gone. I can't really describe it."

"Who was the voice?" Harry asked, a scowl weighing heavily on his face.

"Oh Harry, what does it matter? All that we should care about is the fact that Ron is alive! Your best friend has come back!" Hermione grabbed onto Ron once more and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"I can't really remember much of the voice, or most of what it said but it did sound really familiar." He put his hand up to his chin, thinking. He left Hermione where she stood. "It sounded a lot like Dumbledor."


	8. Furry Hath No Match Like Ron

The group slowly made their way down the stairs, following after Ron. Hermione looked the happiest that anyone had ever seen her look, but the rest were confused. Here was Ron, alive and well, in the flesh, standing before them as if nothing had happened. Ron walked over to the large table in the kitchen and sat down. Bread, jams and all sorts of other foods covered the top and he began to eat hungrily. Mrs. Weasley smiled at her son.

"Ron, oh Ron, I am so glad that you are alive and well!" she said as she placed more food in front of him. He looked up with a nod and continued to dig in. "Eat up as much as you like!" Hermione took the seat next to him, her face beaming.

"Ron, what was death like?" George asked, leaning far over the table. He and Fred were trying to get as close to him as they could.

"I fon't bnow." Ron answered with a mouthful of food. He took another bite of food. Harry came and sat next to Hermione. He wrapped his arm tightly around her. She looked up into his face and smiled.

"Oh Harry, aren't you so happy! Ron's alive!" she beamed as she said this, let Harry squeeze her shoulders tighter. Ron dropped the food from his hands.

"Yes love, I am." Harry smirked. Hermione rested her head up against his chest and let out a sigh. He looked over at Ron.

"Oh yeah Ron, did you hear?" George asked, seeing what was going on.

"No." Ron scowled looking away from Harry.

"Harry and Hermione are dating!" Fred rolled his eyes as he looked at Harry. Hermione looked up confused. A kettle on the stove began to scream frantically as Harry and Ron exchanged death glares. Mrs. Weasley bounced over to the stove, turning her back on the boys. Sirius looked at Lupin, who was sitting next to Ron.

"Oh they are are they?" the scowl on Ron's face growing deeper. Ginny backed away from the wood table and headed to where Mr. Weasley was sitting.

"Now, now boys, there will be no fights. This is a happy occasion. Ron is alive and well, and Harry is alive and well. We should be thankful for what we have!" Mr. Weasley grabbed Ginny and moved her towards the door.

"We aren't going to fight." Harry laughed at all the older men, getting worried and standing up. "I've already won."

"What? Why you… You called yourself my best friend!" Ron jumped up from the table knocking juices across the table on his way up. The sandwiches had taken on the purple color from the grape juice.

"Ronald calm down. We are still friends. This doesn't change anything!" Hermione grabbed his hand and smiled. He whipped his hand away and sent cups scattering everywhere.

"Don't touch me! Don't even look at me! You filth!" tears began to settle in the corners of his eyes and pain took his face. Mrs. Weasley dropped her cup with a gasp. Lupin's eyes grew wide, and he grabbed for Hermione. Tears flooded from her eyes, as if the dam had been broken. Harry grabbed her shoulders and tried to console her.

"Ron how could you! She's our best friend. How can you call her such things?" Harry's eyes grew five times their size and for once he wasn't trying to show off.

"She knew it! You knew it! You both knew that I liked her, not even liked, I loved her! I waited for each day to come knowing that she was going to be there and you ruined it. And not only did you ruin it, she joined in the fun. All while you thought that I was dead. All while you thought that I couldn't stop it. Well now I can, and there is nothing that you can do about it!" Ron grabbed the edge of the table and threw it over on its side and right into Sirius. He gasped out in pain as Lupin tried to lift the heavy mahogany table off of him.

"Ron stop it this instant!" Mrs. Weasley shouted grabbing her wand and lifting the table off of Sirius. Lupin picked him up while he sputtered and coughed. "What has gotten into you?"

"Mom I have seen things. I have seen my future; I have seen their future, world's have been shown to me. Time and space has known no bound in death and things become available to you that shouldn't be. I have felt that power, and know no fear, but lack in the one thing that everyone desires. To love and be loved." He grabbed his wand and pointed it at Harry. "And he stole it from me!" he moved his wand to Hermione. "And I thought that she loved me! She led me on all these years; let me think that I was the one. And all of it was a big lie!" window panes seemed to rattle as his voice became louder and more pronounced. Ginny began crying in fear as Ron pointed his want to Hermione's head.

"Ron stop! You aren't unstoppable anymore! You aren't dead! But you can still die!" Harry pulled out his own wand and pointed it at him.

"Foolish, Harry, very foolish. Get up!" he pointed at Hermione who had been shoved onto the ground by the upturned table. "Did you ever wonder why Voldemort became evil?" Ron asked walking towards Hermione and backing her up to the wall. Dust scattered as her body landed against the wall with a soft thud from Ron's push. "He saw death, and he saw what his life could have been. One wrong choice, and the best life you could have asked for can be taken away from you in a matter of seconds. I lost my choice, when I didn't treat you like the girlfriend that I wanted to treat you as. When I didn't have the guts to ask you to be mine I lost my choice!" he began to cry, sobbing wildly. "Just tell me Hermione, did you ever love me?" his voice was soft as he lowered his wand.

"Y… yes. I did." She whispered, shuddering. She wiped the tears from her eyes and slowly dropped to the floor. Ron stood back and closed his eyes. His body became limp and he dropped back with a thud onto the floor, dust jumping up off the rug.

"Sorry about that." Dumbledor smiled brightly as he walked into the room. He waved his wand and picked up the table, and the scattered dishes. The stains in the rug had been lifted and the mess on the floor cleaned.

"Albus what have you done?" Mrs. Weasley screeched as she ran over to Ron's limp body.

"I have done nothing. It's a shock. Side effect. Some spells create that you know." He chuckled as he sat in one of the chairs and grabbed a piece of bread. Grabbing for a knife, he began to spread peanut butter and jelly across the slice. "Some who have seen too much subconsciously release a side that normally remains hidden. Most people have the basic emotions wrapped up into one major emotion that becomes the basis of who they are. Fred and George, for instance, are funny, so their major emotion would be happiness. Ron released something that has been hiding in him for years, but he should be fine now." Everyone just stared at him for what seemed like a lifetime. "Tell me Molly, what is for dinner?"


	9. A Huge Request

The group moved out of the kitchen after a solemn dinner and into the living room. They plopped Ron down on the couch with an ice pack. Hermione rested his head on her lap, and she stroked his fiery red hair. Harry walked over to the window and folded his arms, watching the world go by, and not even notice the house. The rest of the group gathered on the floor or in chairs around Dumbledor.

"Why did he do that?" Mrs. Wealsey asked, the question weighing heavily on her mind.

"Some people repress a lot of their feelings, but their subconscious never forgets those feelings. Ron has had a crush on Hermione for years, but never did anything about it, for fear of ruining a relationship or such. When he was brought back, that fear was released and for a mere second he felt as if he was immortal. For a while he was immortal. But now that he has been brought back to the real world, he should be fine. He might be a bit more aggressive than before, but generally still the same Ron." Dumbledor finished, playing with a dust bunny on the floor. He turned it into several objects before making it disappear.

"What brought him back? Was it you?" Sirius asked, watching Dumbledor intently, looking for a lie.

"I know not why he was brought back, or even if he is real. But I do fear this." He sighed as he looked at Harry.

"Why do you fear this?" Mr. Weasley asked, his face becoming dark and grim.

"Because this is how Voldemort became the way that he was." Lupin looked up from the floor and then at Ginny in the chair next to him.

"Ginny dear, I doubt strongly that you want to hear this, so I suggest that you go to bed. Go." Mrs. Weasley pointed up the long stairs, and for the first time that Harry had known Ginny, she didn't put up a fuss.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked Lupin then looked at Dumbledor, looking for the response. They both took in a large breath and then Dumbledor started.

"It is a sad story, one that remains hidden from legend and lore. Most fear it, because it's true. Things like this can and will happen. Tom Riddle lost his life one fateful night. The stories were true about the Riddles dying, but not how they thought. See Tom hated his parents, and for what reason the world will never know. One night he went into a delerium from illness that had set. He thought that he had killed his parents. He could see them, dead and the images followed him everywhere he went. Finally he strangled himself to death with his own bed sheets from tossing and turning so much in his sleep, but his parents weren't dead." Mrs. Wealsey gasped and placed a hand on her chest as if her heart might beat right out of it.

"Amazing the tricks that the human mind can play. Feelings of guilt that poor child had." Lupin shook his head looking at the ground.

"Ah well, that is the story. He lay there dead for a few hours before his parents realized what had happened. There are only few people in this world who can perform the spell that revives one from that irreversible thing we call death. His father was able to perform it, so silently after he awoke, he revived his only child. The bond of love between the two was so strong, that part of his fathers power moved into him. But things weren't going to end well. Tom had seen a future that he seemed destin to have. He saw himself as ruler, but he had made a choice at one point in his life, that took that chance away. Now he knew his path, and being alive he was going to take it. Life has a way of fixing itself though. See little Harry Potter had not been shown in Tom's vision of his future. He only saw what he could gain, but never the whole picture. When Tom couldn't destroy Harry, he was lost. He had already been dead, so he wasn't alive, and he couldn't be revived because of that, but he was alive, and so he could not fully be killed. The only thing that could destroy him was a magic reversal. It would take away that first spell, and he would die." Dumbledor looked at Ron who stirred.

"So does that mean that Ron is alive or dead?" Mrs. Weasley asked, tears gethering to her eyes.

"Neither. He can't be killed, but he cannot live. His life will only be half, mostly empty. People that are brought back to life usually have some sort of purpose that they must fulfill. When they fulfill it then they loose that life. When Ron fulfills his purpose, he will die. It's simple really." Dumbledor finished.

"So wait, does that mean that Voldemort is still alive?" Harry asked looking over from the window true worry spreading across his face.

"I don't know. You seemed to reverse the spell, he seems to be gone. But know one ever knows." Dumbledor smiled looking back at Harry. "You did us proud." Ron jumped off of the couch and began to look around frantically. Within seconds he calmed down and sat on the couch.

"Hermione, are you really with Harry?" Ron whispered looking at the ground. Hermione's eyes began to well up with tears. She nodded back solemnly.

"Ron if you want her that much why don't we dual for her?" Harry smiled grabbing his wand. Everyone looked at him as if he were crazy.

"What? Harry no." Hermione scowled at him. She picked up her own wand.

"Nno Hermione, no. I will fight for you." Ron stood up. "And I will win."


	10. The Final Duel

The night air seemed to grow colder as the group stepped outside. The half moon shone brighter than the sun, it seemed and reflected the ginger in Ron's hair as he stepped out onto the grass. Harry followed behind him, his wand at the ready. They walked to opposite sides of the yard. Ron shook as a breeze picked up, his hair shifting back and forth. Harry grinned looking to Hermione, then back at Ron. "We can't let them do this!" Mrs. Weasley screeched running over to where Ron was.  
"Molly stop!" Dumbledor yelled pointing his wand at her. "You know that it is wizarding code of conduct. You cannot stop a duel once it has been started. They must finish it."   
"But what if one of them dies Albus? I will never forgive myself!" Mrs. Weasley began to tear up.  
"We won't let them die Molly. For one thing they don't know enough magic to let that happen, they can't produce the death curses, even at a seventh year level, and for another, we will make sure that they are protected. Just watch!" Sirius smiled winking at Harry. Harry smirked as he looked at Ron and then looked over to Hermione.  
"Don't cry too hard when Ron looses Hermione!" she scowled at him clasping her hands together. She waited patiently in the quiet not sure what to do. She wanted to run and protect them both, but couldn't.  
"Wands at the ready!" Sirius cried out into the cool night air. Birds jumped noisily into the air from a nearby tree, the sound of Sirius' voice waking them from a deep slumber. Mrs. Weasley cringed looking at Ron and then Dumbledore.  
"Do something Arthur!" she shouted at her husband, not really sure that there was anything that he could do.  
"Mom, don't worry, he can't die!" George smiled at his mother acting as if this sentance solved anything. "He's already been dead, right Professor?" Dumbledore looked at the ground, the smile faded from his face.  
"I'm not sure. Death is a funny thing. Not many people know much about it because not many people who die live to tell the story of death. We cannot learn things like that from the dead." he chuckled at his joke, but still didn't smile.  
"Please Sirius, don't egg this on!" Lupin yelled, as Sirius yelled "Duel!" Harry raised his wand up high while Ron lowered his.  
"**IMPEDIMENTIA**!" Ron yelled, taking his aim at Harry.  
"FURNUNCULUS!" Harry yelled at the same time. Shimmers in the air seemed to shift as the spells hit each other. Both Ron and Harry paused to watch the reaction each other would have. Harry began to chuckle then stopped as his movements became slower. "WHAT?" he started to say but his voice was slurred as it slowed down.Rancid boils began to spread like wildfire across Ron's face. Mrs. Weasley cried out in worry covering over her eyes. Sirius laughed, rolling on the ground holding his side. Hermione put her hands on her hips and scowled. 'Whats the worst that they could possibly do?' she thought to herself looking at Harry as he tried to slowly pull his wand towards him. Ron had placed his hands over his face trying cover the boils. Fred and George joined Sirius on the ground laughing so hard that tears were forming in their eyes.  
"Dumbledore make them stop!" Mrs. Weasley gasped as Ron moved his hand.  
"Molly what is the worse that could happen to them? They don't know any really harmful curses, and they know not to use them. Plus there is only one person who can stop them, she just needs to wake up!" Dumbledore looked back at Harry and Ron. They both raised their wands.  
"Finite Incantatem!" they both yelled at the same time, pointing their wands at themselves. Things started to return back to normal.  
"Stop it both of you!" Hermione shouted as if that was going to cause them to stop, but they both just looked at her, anger growing in their eyes. Ron raised his wand and spoke.  
"INCENDIO!" he screamed a red hot flame shooting from the end of his wand. The ground in front of Harry began to burn. Harry raised his wand.  
"EXPELLIARMUS!" Harry shouted causing Ron's wand to fly out of his hand. He began stamping wildly at the fire in front of him. Hermione looked at all of the adults who were still laughing.  
"What are you doing? They are going to kill themselves!" Hermione yelled as Mrs. Weasley covered over her eyes once more. They watched Ron run frantically around looking for his wand.  
"Come now Hermione, certainly you must find this somewhat amusing." Lupin laughed. The clouds began to move forward and cover over the moon.  
"Hermione will you wake up!" George sputtered out between the laughter. He and Fred were still rolling on the ground laughing with Sirius. Hermione stood back confused.  
"LOCOMOTOR MORTIS!" Harry yelled as soon as he stomped out the flames, his anger growing stronger with every spell. Shimmers in the air began to shoot towards Ron's legs. He tried to walk forward, but his legs wouldn't move. His legs were locked. "RICTUSEMPRA!" Ron shouted as he fell forward, his legs unable to move. Harry started to laugh uncontrolably. He covered his mouth in an attempt to stop, but it was no use. Harry couldn't stop laughing, Ron's spell was too much. He winced in pain from laughing so hard.  
"FINITE INCANTATEM!" they both cast at themselves. They started to return to normal.  
"Ron why did you cast that? That was totally rude!" Harry yelled at him, pointing his wand and still laughing.  
"Well, why did you cast those spells on me?"Ron smirked, but his voice was somewhat angry.Hermione looked at them in surprise. They both sounded angry, they both sounded upset, but they weren't acting normal.  
"What is wrong with you both?" Hermione shouted into the air, confused by both of their actions. She needed to stop this before they hurt themselves. Mrs. Weasley put a hand on her chest and let out a gasp.  
"Thank you Hermione. Please talk some sense into these boys!" she smiled at Hermione walking towards Ron, but they weren't done.  
"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" Harry yelled at Mrs. Weasely. Her body went ridgid and she fell with a thud onto the hard ground.  
Everyone around them gasped. Sirius, Fred and George got up off the ground and stared at Harry. Clouds began to float gently over the moon, and things became much darker. The cool night breeze slowly began to pick back up and Hermione shivered.  
"This is not a game." Harry whispered, his voice dark and menacing. A shimmer of moonlight shone through the cloud and illuminated his glasses casting an eerie shadow across his face.  
"What are you talking about Harry?" Lupin ran forward to pick up Mrs. Weasley from the ground. "Wingardium Leviosa." she lifted off the ground and he guided her back over to the group.  
"Harry, I just cast a laughing spell on you. You can't tell me that you don't think that this is fun. Plus we can't fight over Hermione, thats morally wrong." Ron smiled at Hermione who nodded in approval.  
"Your choice." Harry laughed, his voice deep and airy. "Hermione belongs to me. You cannot interfere anymore." Everyones mouths dropped to the ground. This was not Harry at. "I am the most prized possesion that the wizarding world has. People love and adore me. I would ask no more of you Ron. Back down you coward." All of this media attention had gone to his head and Hermione knew it.  
"You treat me like I am so prize." Hermione put her hands on her hips and glared at Harry. Ron just stood there with his mouth gaping open. "How dare you! Just because the media has been all over you since you woke up!"  
"The media loves me, the people love me! If it hadn't been for me, none of you would be here right now, or at least free." Harry threw his head back once more and let out a blood chilling laugh.  
"Harry stop!" Hermione gasped, surprised by how much Harry had changed. Lupin was leaning over Mrs. Weasley, trying to revive her. Mr. Weasley, and Sirius had grabbed their wands and were pointing them at Harry, while shoving Fred and George inside the house. "Why are you doing this?"  
"Because I can! This power is so great, and I feel so strong. How could I not use it to gain my love? Why let this power just sit. I will have you Hermione, and the wizarding world will love me." he walked towards her, wand extended. He smirked at her ready to grab her hand, but Ron stepped in the way.  
"Harry we haven't finished our duel. She is not yours." Ron growled spreading his arms out in front of Hermione. Harry stepped forward into Ron's face trying to grab at her, but Ron was stronger.  
"Fine then." Harry smirked taking a step back. He watched as Ron turned to Hermione. He gripped Hermione tightly and looked at Harry.  
"Hermione are you alright?" he whispered pulling her tighter as Harry took a step towards her again. She turned away and burried her face into Ron's chest. She suddenly realized how built Ron was. He had muscles lining his arms and stomache, and she could see them through his shirt. His chest was broad, along with shoulders and his face was covered in freckles. She smiled as she took in a breath up against his chest. Harry watched them for a bit, glaring and then pulled up his wand. The tip of it poked forcefully at Hermione's head making her turn in his direction. "So you choose Ron over me? Let this be our final duel. You will be mine." Sirius walked forward and moved in front of Ron and Hermione.  
"Harry thats enough, this battle is done. A choice has been made, you are no longer obligated to continue the duel. We can stop you now if we have to." Sirius took out his wand, his voice stern.  
"Arthur make them stop!" Mrs. Weasley gasped as Lupin released her from the spell. Her eyes were huge, and her breath was sharp and ragged. She grabbed onto Mr. Weasley and pulled herself up. It seemed as if the spell had made her very weak.  
"What do you want me to do Molly? I can't use spells on them they are our children and our loved ones." Mr. Weasley grabbed onto his wife and hugged her. "Oh love I am so glad that you are okay."  
"Make him take that wand away from Hermione's head." Lupin pointed at Sirius. "Before he hurts someone." but it was too late. He had already began to duel.  
"Ron don't. Please don't duel with him!" Hermione whispered, tears forming at the edges of her eyes. Ron reached up and wiped a tear away.  
"Hermione don't worry. I am already dead. He can't kill me. Whats the worst spell that he can possibly produce anyways? We are only 7th years. It will be fine." Ron smiled as he released her and pushed her back off to the side. Lupin came up and put his arm around her as she began to cry. Sirius and Mr. Weasley stood in front of Ron. The poised their wands facing Harry, ready to strike if nessecary. Mrs. Weasely cried out for her husband, fearing what would happen.  
"You would stand and defend him Sirius?" Harry scowled drawing his wand up like a sword. "You are my godfather and you would defend him?" a shadow of a tear ran down his face, his voice edged with hurt and pain.  
"You are not yourself Harry. Something has happened to you. You are different. Tell me Harry, would you expect me as your godfather to defend you like this?" Sirius watched as Harry started to cry his voice just as pained. He raised his wand to match Harry's. "Harry, I will strike you if need be." Harry looked at Hermione helplessly. Tears seeped down his face as he force them away with the back of his hand. The shadow on across his face grew softer, but lingered. Sirius lowered his wand and sighed as if defeating some great evil. He started to walk towards Harry.  
"How is it that I can be so great, and yet the one person I look to for support disownes me for mine enemy? The girl that I loves leaves me, and I have nothing. Nothing but power. Tell me Sirius, what is to stop me from killing you?" he grinned and shoved his wand into Sirius face. Ron started towards Sirius, fire burining in his eyes. Sirius stuck his hand out to stop Ron from coming but it was too late. Ron shoved the wand from Sirius's face and pushed him aside. He flexed his muscles waiting for a blow to hit him that would never come.  
"Why Ron, would you put yourself in harms way to save another such as Sirius. He is a liar, and a betrayer." Harry scowled wiping the tears from his eyes. He looked to Hermione in sorrow and then back at Ron. "How is it you can be so happy with the minimal amount of things that you have and I can't? I have power and pull. The wizarding world adores me and yet you get the girl." Ron braced himself as Harry lowered his wand. Hermione looked to the ground as if she felt bad, yet she was happier than she had ever been, under the circustances.  
"I'm sorry." she whispered, unsure what to tell him.  
"What?"Harry looked at her, a smile growing on his face.  
"I'm sorry that I waisted my time with you!" she yelled her fury taking over. She wanted Ron to hurt him. She wanted Ron to blow him away, far away, where he could no longer hurt them.  
"Ron are you ready for the final duel?" Harry yelled to match Hermione, his voice shaking wildly through the sleepy street. Ron took a step towards Hermione and stopped. Sirius started to walk back towards him in fear of what Harry would do.  
"I'm ready." Ron braced himself pushing Sirius back. "I will fight him Sirius, and I will win. Do not fear." he smiled as he walked across from Harry. Sirius reached out to grab him but was too late. Harry and Ron were to have on last duel. The tention was so thick you could have cut it with a knife. Hermione shuddered as she cried helplessly in Lupin's arms. Ron looked over to her with worry. It hurt him so much that he pained the one that he loved. Harry scowled and took another step backwards.  
"Sirius, you know what to do. Start us off." Harry laughed, throwing his head back the sound echoing like mad.  
"No, I won't let you do this!" Sirius shouted holding out his wand at Harry. "Both of you should live!" Harry murmured something under his breath and Sirius began writhing on the ground shouting out in pain.  
"Start us Sirius!" Harry's voice boomed into the night. Everyone in the tight group shuddered. Sirius slowly peeled himself up off the ground holding his sides as if they were going to colaps. Mrs. Weasley began to cry, letting the tears flow like a waterfall.  
"Begin!" Sirius cringed as he said the words, pain wracking his body. He didn't want to say those words, didn't want them to come out but they did and the battle was to begin. Harry grinned wildly as he raised up his wand and pointed it towards Ron.  
"I'll be nice this time, Weasley." he laughed as he lowered his wand and pointed at Ron. "I'll let you get in the first blow." he laughed a bit more before raising his wand again. "Go ahead, take your best shot!"Ron shook his head and slowly raised his wand.  
"Petrificus..." but Harry interupted.  
"Fool! Avada Kedavra!" the beam shot from Harry's wand like a lightning bolt with a sudden rage that threw everyone off gaurd. The light was green and for an instant it didn't seem real. Time seemed as if it had stopped and there was to be no awakening. No one screamed, they just watched knowing what doom lie before them. Ron would not survive this and the knew it. Or so they thought. Hermione suddenly found that her legs were shooting forward in a sprint that took her across the yard. She turned her body towards Harry and began to take the blow.  
"Hermione NO!" Ron yelled.


	11. Out of the Future

Words seemed to fade away into a lifeless nothing.There was pain, but not too much. She didn't scream, she just stood there, the green light engulfing her. 'What am I doing?' she thought to herself as she felt her legs give way beneath her and she dropped slowly to the ground. Her vision began to blurr making it hard for her to make out who was grabbing. In the distance she could hear Harry screaming "No! Hermione no!" but it was too late. She felt as if her body was passing into another time, another dimension. A cool, watery sensation overcame her, and it was becoming harder for her to breathe. She struggled against the arms that seemed to be holding her down, seemed to be choking her, draging her down. Soon the struggle was becoming to much and she was growing weak. She couldn't hear Harry or Ron's voices anymore. Slowly she opened her eyes and realised there was water all around her. As if in slow motion, Professor McGonagall lifted her out of the water, Ron and Harry at her side, their eyes closed and covered behind their hands, although she swore Ron peeked. She felt like she was being sucked out of a vortex and into a relm that didn't feel like it existed. Here they were, the boys that she had just spent the past few months with, and they didn't even know what their future was like. She felt pain on her side, the spot where the curse had hit her. Blood trickled from it, but nothing more. Softly she began to cry.

"Welcome back Miss Granger." McGonagall smiled as she covered her over with a towell.

"Go back to you dorm rooms. Miss Granger, we are going to the hospital wing. Dorms Mr. Potter, Weasley!" Professor McGonagall pointed her finger in the direction of the Griffindor tower.

"But Professor..." Harry started.

"Professor we can't go!" Ron stated at the same time.

"No, go!" she began to lead Hermione towards the hospital wing, watching the boys walk sadly in the other direction. "So Miss Granger, what did you see?" Hermione shook as the tears began to become more forceful.

"Professor it was horrible!" she wiped the tears from her eyes on part of her towl. "I saw so much deaht, so much distruction." McGonagal looked strangely at her. Professor McGonagal straightened her glasses and forced them further up the brigde of her nose. She frowned and scratched her head looking at Hermione. Hermione could sense that something was wrong and emmidiatly quite crying.

"What, what is it Professor?" Hermione whispered, unsure what to do.

"Hermione you must tell me all that went on, every little detail. You saw it didn't you, the great battle. Tell me." McGonagal sat down on a bed while Madam Pomfrey came over and began dressing Hermione's wound.

"Well Professor, I dropped right in the middle of a battle between good and evil and for a large portion of the time it seemed that evil would prevail." she started in on the story, trying her best to keep herself from crying during Ron's death. McGonagal's eyes grew wide with each new thread of the story and Hermione didn't dare stop. Every once in a while McGonagal would stop her for extra detail on Ron's awakening or Harry's wild behavior. Soon Hermione began to feel much better in realising that it was all over and that she was back in her regular time. "And then you pulled me out of the water." she finished her story, sitting in bed the covers pulled close around her. A few of the stragglers that had been passing through had stopped to listen to the story. McGonagal was so absorbed in what was going on that she forgot to tell them to leave.

"Shoo!" McGonagal shouted when she realised how many students were standing around. They groaned as she began to shove the crowd out into the hall. "Well Miss Granger, are you alright?"

"Yes, I believe so. It just bothers me that that is to be my future." she cringed at the thought.

"No Miss Granger, you are wrong there. Only you can make your future. That just shows you a possiblity of your future. If you don't like it, change it." she looked down at Hermione through her glasses and began to head for the door. "Just remember what you have learned and use it." and with that she left the room. Hermione spent only a few days in the hospital wing before returning to the Griffindor tower. Ron and Harry were sitting in the common room, close by the fire when she walked in. Ron was looking at his wizards chess set as if it were broken. Harry looked smug just sitting there watching.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Harry smiled standing up and rushing over to her. He led her over to the couch and sat her down.

"Yes, of course. Ron are you alright?" she wanted to change the subject. She didn't want to tell them what had happened, or to admit to them that she was in love yet.

"There is something wrong with my bloody chess game!" he squished up his face in disgust. "Harry just beat me."

"Hey thats no nice, I beat you fair and square." Harry scowled at Ron, puching him playfully in the arm. She watched them for a little while, smiling as they beat each other up. 'I would miss this.' she thought to herself thinking about the future.

"Hermione are you alright?" Ron's voice pulled her back into reality. Worry had spread across both of their faces and Hermione smiled. "Really, I am just fine."

* * *

Hermione stood in a large open field with rolling green hills in the distance. The sky overhead was dark, but stars dotted her and there glittering brighter than she had ever seend. To her left was Harry, and to her right was Ron. Harry was facing forward and Ron was facing Hermione, all with wands raised. Next to Ron was Lupin adn then Sirius. Snape was on Harry's other side. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were behind Ron, Hermione and Harry. More people from the order stood around them. 

"Harry don't!" Lupin yelled over to him as Harry aimed his wand.

"You don't stand a chance! You fought me once and won, but this time I will kill you!" Voldemort pulled up his wand. Behind them Mrs. Weasley screamed. Hermione didn't look back, she alread knew what was going to happen.

"No he won't!" Hermione screamed. Harry gawked at her for a brief moment. Ron raised up his wand and yelled, Harry and Voldemort shouting threats at each other.

"Unpenetralis!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. A brilliant gold light flew from his wand and formed a ball around Harry. 'Not alone Ron, not this time. You will live.' Hermione thought to herself raising her wand to Harry.

"Unpenetralis!" Hermione whispered, her gold light mixing with Ron's. "WE WILL BEAT THIS TOGETHER!" she stepped closer to Ron trying her best to keep her wand steady. Ron smiled and looked at her.

"You don't have to do this." he grunted trying to focus his power.

"I know, but I am." she smiled. Ron wrapped an arm around her small waist and let out a weak laugh.

"Hermione, I love you!"

:THE END


	12. Acknowledgements

If you like these stories, please read my others, and visit me on . My pen name is Niki M. Cluff.

Thank you readers!


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